Nokia Chennai Plant to Start Again, Indicates Prime Minister Modi

Tamil Nadu-based Nokia plant, which was shut down few months back, is likely to start functioning again, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated Tuesday.

"Your concern is right. 25000 people were rendered jobless there," Modi said in Rajya Sabha while responding to the issue highlighted by CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury about the closure of the Nokia plant.

The Prime Minister, while replying to a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, said the plant had to shut down because of actions of the previous UPA government and not because of the present government.

"Let me assure you. We have started efforts in this direction (to restart the unit). The result of this effort will be that in the coming days, Nokia plant should start functioning again and people will get employment," Modi said.

The Nokia plant, based near Chennai, had started operations in 2006 and shut down operations on November one last year.

"We want that for employment generation, a push needs to be given to infrastructure development," Modi added.

He also spoke of his government's initiative 'Digital India' and said that at a time a theory of "haves and have nots" was believed and he feels that Digital Divide is also a reason that can lead to much backwardness and poverty.

He said he wants that a situation of 'Digital Divide' should not be allowed to come up in the country. He said that there exist nearly 90 crore mobile phones in the country and added that he wants to usher in "Mobile Governance."

Speaking further, Modi added that the youth in North Eastern states were fluent in english and asked whether like other major cities they should also get BPO centres, so that there can be employment for youth.